Window regulator



Aug. 12,- l 930. s. w. NICHOLSON WINDOW REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Filgd larch 25, 1926 ATTORNEXSZ Aug. 12, 1930. s. w. NICHOLSON WINDOW REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1926 IN VEN TOR. 6%]? W 4429202500 A TTORNEYJ Patented Aug. 12, 1930 ins earn

STANLEY W. NICHOLSON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE DURA COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO WINDOW REGULATOR I Application filed March 23, 1926.

The invention relates to window regulators and has for some ofits objects the provision of a window regulator which may be cheaply manufactured; the provision of a window regulator having independently mounted driving and driven units which may be readily connected to each other; the provision of a window regulator in which the elements forming the connection between the driving to and driven units are normally held in engagement by means upon the driven'unit; and the provision of an element for counterbalancing the weight of the window and also retaining in engagement the elements forming the connection between the driving'and driven units. -With these as well as other objects in view,

the invention resides in the novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an interior side elevation of a vehicle door with the lining removed and showing a window regulator embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged exterior side elevation of a portion thereof;

Figures 3, 4: and 5 are enlarged cross sections on the lines 33, 4;& and 55 of Figure2; 1

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Figure 5.

As shown in the present instance, my im- 7 proved window regulator is applied to a ve hiele door and mounted upon its frame. This door has the opening 1 in its upper portion and the chamber 2 in its lower portion, which is adapted to receive the window 8 when lowered from a position closing the opening.

The window is slidably mounted in suitable guideways upon the uprights 4 and 5 of the door frame.

The window regulator comprises the driving and driven units 6 and 7, respectively,

which are independently mounted respectively upon the lock board 8 and one of the uprights of the door frame. These units in-- clude driving and driven elements respectively, which are adapted to form the operative connection between the units and whlch Serial No. 96,817.

removing the 3 units from their mountings.

The driven unit 7 comprisesthe control arm 9 and the rack 10 pivotally connected at one end to the control arm intermediate its ends. The outer end of thecontrol arm is suitably connected to the window 3 bya bearing secured to the arm and slidably engaging in a channel secured to the lower edge of the window. he bearing and channel may be of the usual construction permitting of tilting the window to'remove the same without disassembling the parts forming the window regulator or disturbing the frame. ner end of the control arm preferably engages in the kerf 10 which is formed inthe upright 't below the lock board and this inner end is pivotally secured in place as by means of the wood screw 11 which extends through the control arm and is engageable in the upright. The driving unit 6 comprises the drive shaft 12, the driving pinion 13 and suitable irreversible drive mechanism between the shaft and pinion. The pinion is adapted to mesh with the rack 10 and to form therewith the operative connection between the driving unit and the driven unit of the window regulator. I

The driving unit including the above mentioned drive shaft, pinion and irreversible drive mechanism is mounted independently of the driven unit and furthermore the mountin is permanently secured to the frame and preferably to the lock board 8. In detail, the drive shaft 12 has fixedly secured to its outer end the hub M which is provided with a ,slot extending longitudinally thereof from its outer edge. The pinion 13 is preferably formed by-a coining operation so that the ends 15 of its teeth preferably extend laterally beyond the sides of the body portion of the pinion. These ends engage in notches formed respectively in the washer l6 and cup-shaped bearing member 17 at opposite sides of the pinion, the bearing member having a portion surrounding the outer end of the hub 14. 18 is a key member extending longitudinally in the slot. in the hub 14 and having at its inner and outer ends the inte- The ingral stub shaft 19 and rivet 20, respectively. The stub shaft is journaled axially in the drive shaft 12 while the rivet extends axially through the pinion 13 and washer 16 and has at its end the head 21 abutting against the outer side of the washer and cooperating with the shoulders 22 upon the key member to clamp the washer and bearing member firmly against the opposite sides of the pinion. 23 is a second bearing member having a portion surrounding the inner end of the hub let and a reduced portion engaging and fitting upon the drive shaft 12, which latter is preferably square with beveled corners. 24.- is a sleeve surrounding and forming a bearing for the bearing members 17 and 23 and also forming a stationary drum for en gagement by the convolutions of the coil spring 25 when expanded, this coil spring having inturned ends 26 which extend into the longitudinal slot of the hub 14 on opposite sides of the key member 18. The sleeve 24 has the transverse inturned terminal flange 27 at its outer end which abuts the outer face of the cup=shaped bearing member 17. The sleeve 24 also has near its inner end the rolledin bead 28 which extends radially inwardly to engage the shoulder 29 formed upon the bearing member 23. It will thus be seen that the sleeve holds the bearing members from becoming disengaged from the sleeve and consequently holds the drive shaft, driving pinion and irreversible drive mechanism therebetween assembled and in operative relation. The sleeve 24 is permanently secured to the lock board by the crimped transverse outwardly extending portion 30 near its outer end and engaging the outer face of the lock board and by the peened over portion 31 at its inner end and abutting the washer 32 which surrounds the sleeve and functions as a spacer, the washer being one of a number having different thicknesses to compensate for slight changes in thickness of the lock board.

From the above description it will be seen that the window regulator comprises a driving unit and a driven unit which are adapted to be operatively connected and which are independently mounted. It will also be seen that the driving unit is arranged to be permanently secured in place and that the sleeve forming the mounting is fixedly secured in place so that it can not rotate.

33 is a suitable crank secured upon the inner end of the drive shaft 12 and 34; is an escutcheon between the hub portion of the crank and the upholstery or lining of the vehicle. As shown, the crank is secured to the drive shaft by means of the transverse pin 35 which is normally held from displacement by means of the escutcheon, which latter is yieldably held in place by padding between the lining and the lock board.

For retaining the rack 10 in mesh with the pinion 13, I have provided the spiral spring 36, which is upon the driven unit 7 and which, as shown, has its inner end secured to the U-shaped pin 37 which is fixed to the rack and ournaled in the control arm. The outer end of the spring is hooked over the tongue 38 struck out from the control arm. This spiral spring is made suficiently strong to counterbalance the weight of the window?) and therefore in addition to retaining the rack in mesh with the driving pinion it tends to swing the control arm upwardly with a force substantially equal to the weight of the window.

With this arrangement the rack 10 is retained in mesh with the pinion 13 during the normal angular movement of the lifter arm to raise and lower the window 3. However, the rack may be disengaged from the pinion by angular-1y moving the control arm downwardly beyond its lower limit of normal travel at which time the rack becomes free. It'is apparent that when the control arm is in its abnormal lowered position the rack may be swung about the control arm against the effort exerted by the spiral spring 36 to a position such that when the control arm is again angularly moved upwardly the rack will mesh with the pinion. It will thus be seen that the driving and driven units of the window regulator may be independently mounted upon the frame and subsequently operatively connected to each other. It will also be seen that this operative connection remains in force during the normal angular movement of the control arm and consequent normal raising and lowering movement of the window.

The above described window regulator may be cheaply manufactured owing to the fact 0 that the control arm and rack of the driven unit and the pinion and irreversible drive mechanism including the hub, the key member, bearing members and sleeve of the driving unit may be formed of stampings. Also the drive shaft may be mill stock. The win dow regulator may also be readily secured in the frame by mounting its driving and driven units at the positions intended for the same. Also these units may be readily operatively connected.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a window regulator, the combination of a driving unit and a driven unit, including cooperating driving and driven elements respectively, and means upon said (1 *iven unit for yieldably retaining said driving and driven elements in operative relation.

2. In a window regulator, the combination of a driving unit and a driven unit including driving and driven elements respectively, and a spring upon said driven unit for normally retaining said driving and driven elements in operative relation.

3. In a window regulator, the combination of a driving unit, including a driving element, a driven unit including a driven element adapted to cooperate with said driving element and a control element adapted to actuate a window, and means between said control element and driven element for normally retaining the latter in operative relation with said driving element.

4. In a window regulator, the combination of a control element adapted to actuate a window, a driving element, a driven element adapted to cooperate with said driving element and operatively connected to said control element and a spring connected to said driven element and control element and normally retaining said driven element in operative relation with said driving element.

5. In a window regulator, the combination of a driving unit and a driven unit including cooperating driving and driven elements respectively, and window counterbalancing means for retaining said driving and driven elements in operative relation.

6. In a window regulator, the combination of a driving unit and a driven unit including cooperating driving and driven elements respectively, and a window counterbalancing spring upon said driven unit for normally retaining said driving and driven elements in operative relation.

7. In a window regulator, the combination of a pivotal control arm adapted to actuate a window, a driving pinion, a rack pivotally connected to said control arm and adapted to mesh with said pinion and a window counterbalancing spring connected to said control arm and rack and retaining said rack in mesh with said pinion.

8. In a window regulator, the combination of a pivotal control arm adapted to raise and lower a window, a driving pinion, a rack pivotally connected to said control arm and meshing with said pinion, and a spiral window counterbalancing spring operatively connected to said control arm and rack and nor- 1 mally holding said rack in mesh with said pinion.

9. In a window regulator, the combination of a pivotal control arm adapted to raise and lower a window, a driving pinion, a rack pivotally connected to said control arm and meshing with said pinion, and a spiral window counterbalancing spring interposed between said rack and control arm and operat-ively connected thereto and normally holding the rack in mesh with the pinion.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

STANLEY W. NICHOLSON. 

